Why Most CrossFit Gyms Suck (And What the Great Ones Actually Do)

I've been to 47 different CrossFit gyms across three countries. Yeah, I counted. Don't judge me—I'm weird like that.

Want to know the brutal truth? About 40 of them were forgettable at best, soul-crushing at worst. Generic programming stolen from the internet, coaches who barely looked up from their phones, and "communities" that felt about as warm as a corporate team-building retreat.

But those other seven? Holy shit. Those places changed my entire perspective on what a fitness business could actually be.

The Problem With the "Build It and They'll Come" Mentality

Here's what most CrossFit gym owners get wrong: they think success is about having the newest equipment, the biggest space, or the flashiest Instagram presence. It's not.

I recently read an analysis of successful CrossFit gyms that laid out this simple formula: Community x Leadership (Coaching + Programming) = True Success.

At first glance, it seems obvious. Of course you need good coaches and programming. Of course community matters. But here's where it gets interesting—and where most gyms completely fuck it up.

Why the Multiplication Symbol Actually Matters

See, this isn't addition. It's multiplication. That means if any part of your equation equals zero, your entire result is zero.

Think about it:

• Amazing programming + Elite coaching + Zero community = A really expensive personal training session with strangers
• Incredible community + Terrible coaching = A social club where people get injured
• Great coaches + Strong community + Random programming = Wasted potential and plateaued members

Most gym owners obsess over one piece of the puzzle while ignoring the others. They'll spend $50k on fancy equipment but hire coaches at $15/hour. Or they'll focus so hard on creating a "family vibe" that they forget their members actually want to get stronger.

The gyms that nail all three? Those are the unicorns. The places people would literally move cities to attend.

Let's Talk About the Ones Getting It Right

The article I read highlighted three gyms that cracked this code: CrossFit Milford, CrossFit Jääkarhu, and 12 Labours CrossFit. But instead of just gushing about how awesome they are, I want to dig into what they're actually doing differently.

CrossFit Milford: The Ecosystem Builders

These guys didn't just create a gym—they created an ecosystem. They have a fucking business directory where members can hire each other for services. A plumber who deadlifts 400 pounds fixing the pipes for a lawyer who just hit her first muscle-up.

Genius? Absolutely. But here's what most people miss: this didn't happen by accident. Jason Leydon and his wife Jocelyn deliberately set out to weave their members' lives together outside the gym walls.

Most gym owners think community means high-fives after workouts and the occasional barbecue. Milford understood that real community means your gym members become part of each other's actual lives.

CrossFit Jääkarhu: The Education Obsessives

What jumped out at me about Jääkarhu wasn't their cute bear theme (though props for commitment). It was their absolute obsession with education.

Go check out their blog—I'll wait. See what I mean? These aren't generic "5 Tips for Better Squats" posts. They're producing genuinely valuable content because they have coaches who actually know their shit and can communicate it.

Here's the thing nobody talks about: great coaching isn't just about correcting form during a WOD. It's about continuously leveling up your knowledge and sharing it. When members see their coaches constantly learning and teaching, it creates this culture of growth that becomes infectious.

Plus, when Mino Solomon got injured, they didn't just pass around a hat. The entire "sleuth" (their term for their community—told you they committed to the bear thing) came together to create a fundraising video that would make Hollywood jealous. That's not community programming. That's family.

12 Labours CrossFit: The Systems Thinkers

This is where most gym owners' brains explode. 12 Labours plans their programming a full year in advance. Not just roughly—specifically. They've mapped out strength phases, skill development, competition prep, everything.

But here's the kicker: everyone in the gym, from newbies to Games athletes, follows the same general cycle just at different intensities. So when it's "strength phase," the entire gym is focused on getting stronger together. When it's competition season, everyone's in that mindset.

Most gyms just throw random workouts at people and hope for the best. 12 Labours treats their programming like a tech company treats product development: systematic, data-driven, and always building toward something bigger.

What This Actually Means for Real People

Okay, cool story Marcus. But what if I'm not trying to run a gym? What if I'm just trying to find one that doesn't suck?

Fair question. Here's what to look for:

Community Red Flags:

• Members don't know each other's names
• No one hangs around after workouts
• The "community events" are just excuses to sell you more stuff
• Members don't celebrate each other's wins

Leadership Red Flags:

• Coaches who program workouts 5 minutes before class
• Staff that can't explain WHY you're doing specific movements
• No clear progression system
• Coaches who never train themselves or continue their education

Programming Red Flags:

• Random daily workouts with no connection to each other
• One-size-fits-all approach with no scaling options
• No focus on skill development
• Programs that look suspiciously like they were copied from another gym's Instagram

The Uncomfortable Truth About Most "Communities"

Here's something that's gonna sting a little: most fitness "communities" are just customer bases with better marketing.

Real community happens when people show up for each other outside of scheduled class times. When someone's going through a divorce and their gym family actually supports them. When members organize their own events because they genuinely want to spend time together.

I've seen gyms with 200+ members where people just show up, work out, and leave. And I've seen 50-person gyms where everyone knows everyone's kids' names and career struggles.

Size doesn't determine community. Intentionality does.

Building Something Worth Belonging To

Whether you're a gym owner or just someone looking for a better fitness experience, here's what I've learned:

If you're running a gym: Stop trying to be everything to everyone. Pick your lane, excel at all three parts of the formula, and the right people will find you. The wrong people will self-select out, and that's actually a good thing.

If you're looking for a gym: Don't just take a trial class. Hang around afterward. Talk to members who've been there for more than a year. Ask them what keeps them coming back. If they can't give you a reason beyond "good workouts," keep looking.

If you're stuck in a mediocre gym: Life's too short and your goals are too important to settle for mediocre. Yes, changing gyms is uncomfortable. Yes, you might have to drive further or pay more. Do it anyway.

The Question Nobody Wants to Ask

Here's what I really want to know: Why do we accept mediocrity in our fitness communities when we wouldn't accept it anywhere else?

You wouldn't stay with a restaurant that served bad food with terrible service just because it was convenient. You wouldn't stick with a job where your boss ignored you and your coworkers were assholes just because the commute was short.

But somehow, we convince ourselves that a gym where we don't feel challenged, connected, or cared for is "fine" because it's close to home or a few dollars cheaper.

Your fitness journey is going to last decades. The community you choose to support that journey matters more than almost anything else.

What's Next?

I'm planning to visit more gyms over the next year and document what the exceptional ones are doing differently. Not just the famous ones—the hidden gems that are quietly building something special.

If you know a gym that's doing community, leadership, and programming at an exceptional level, drop me a line. I want to hear about places that make their members feel like they'd "sell their house and move there" if they had to.

Because honestly? In a world where everything feels increasingly disconnected and transactional, these spaces that get it right aren't just gyms.

They're proof that we can still build things worth belonging to.

What does your gym score on the formula? And more importantly—what are you going to do about it?